Victoria on the River feel outside Pullman Hotel

Wednesday, 19 March 2025

An artist’s impression of what the space in front of Chemist Warehouse on Ward St would look like under redevelopment plans.

Fresh images show a Victoria on the River feel is planned for the street outside the new Pullman Hotel in the central city.

It’s part of a big shake-up for one of the CBD’s busiest streets, which is a short walk from the Victoria on the River precinct overlooking the Waikato River.

The images are in a report to a meeting this week where councillors are being asked to approve a streetscape proposal and parking changes for Ward St.

The building in early March, with work on the transformation under way.

What the revamped Mistry Centre is set to look like once it is transformed into the Pullman Hotel.

A new loading zone with a five-minute parking restriction in front of the Chemist Warehouse is a key feature of the ongoing work to redevelop Hamilton’s tallest building, the Mistry Centre.

It’s where guests will park before their vehicles are taken away by a valet parking service.

“This will provide a legally enforceable parking restriction to support the valet parking service that will be provided by staff at the 191-bed Pullman,” a staff report says.

An aerial shot of Victoria on the River which overlooks the Waikato River.

The changes are similar to outside five-star hotels in Auckland and Wellington: the SkyCity Grand Hotel in Auckland’s Federal St and the Intercontinental Hotel in Grey St, Wellington.

The streetscape plan outlined in the report has been developed by Mistry Centre Limited, the owners and developers of the hotel, and Kiwi Property Holdings Limited, which manages the Centre Place mall.

The report says changes include “upgrading the area immediately adjacent to the new loading zone to deliver an enhanced level of amenity in the public space and a place for people to sit that is similar in feel to that of Victoria on the River”.

A recent shot of the boarded over entrance to what will be the new hotel - the planned car drop off area would be to the left of the entrance, with reception one floor up via elevator.

Kiwi Property Holdings has expressed concern about Chemist Warehouse deliveries via several large pallets.

It’s feared that under the new arrangements there may be difficulties negotiating along Worley Place and around new proposed street furniture between the loading zone and the Chemist Warehouse entrance.

“Staff continue to work with the key parties on the detail of the streetscape design changes to address these concerns,” the report said.

If a new licence to occupy part of Ward St and the parking changes are not approved “there is a risk that the developer will not comply with one of the conditions required to deliver the Pullman Hotel”, it added.

Costs of the streetscape improvements and parking changes are due to be met by Mistry.

A briefing to councillors last month was told the range of parking tweaks proposed wouldn’t cut total on-street parking space in the area.

The 191-bed Pullman is due to be completed next year.

Meanwhile, an announcement is due in coming weeks on whether Auckland’s Templeton Group will go ahead with a separate $120 million hotel development on Victoria St.

The briefing heard that if Templeton proceeds they’d be looking to start physical development on site towards the end of 2027.